One of my favorite authors is Edgar Allan Poe. He wrote a narrative poem called, "The Raven." A vivid childhood memory I have is sitting cross-legged and wide-eyed to listen to an elementary school substitute teacher read 'The Gold-Bug' by Poe. Literary seeds planted.

Giveaway Buzz

Last year, I discovered a whole new world of thoughtful product reviews, free samples, and the opportunity to win (yes, win!) anything under the sun. To participate in giveaways that offer goodies, such as handmade jewelry, vacuum cleaners, low-fat chocolate bars, books, and eco-friendly cleaning products, all you have to do is:

• Learn about a company or business, like visit a website.

• Provide feedback, such as listing your favorite flavor, color or scent of a product.

• Show support for the people taking the time to review products, which usually involve RSS feeds, Google Connect, Facebook, Twitter, publicly following a blog, and subscribing to emails.

Giveaway Buzz will highlight some of the opportunities I think my readers will most appreciate.

The majority of products and businesses I’ve come across on sites that host giveaways have been ones I’ve never heard of or I’ve been dying to try out. There’s an undeniable thrill associated with entering online giveaways and receiving a “You are a WINNER” email surely makes my day